I’m a civil engineer and I’ve been watching your guys videos for quiet some time now. I’m so happy to see you doing your research and talking to the professionals about foundation work. Most people don’t do those steps and it’s probably the most important step to not skip over! Great job! Hats off!!

@northwestgaming4049

Жыл бұрын

We did a house onside of a mountain and the dirt guy decided to use the native rock he dugout. Six months later while we were still working on the house doing the siding someone noticed the foundation was cracked and could see under to crawl space. Well that short cut cuased me to have to do a engineered slab.

@Titantitan001

Жыл бұрын

It’s debatable to call some of those phone experts actual professionals

@iamnolegend483

Жыл бұрын

I am a civil engineer as well, and I agree completely with what you said. These guys are doing it the right way.

@daveharness70

Жыл бұрын

Yeah...ditto...I'm a Geotechnical Engineer and deal with this all the time. I always try to remind my engineers to be able to explain to the Average Joe what the results/recommendations of our investigation are. Sometimes we can speak gibberish to folks that never deal with this!

@BuddyTobyTV

Жыл бұрын

Civil engineer here. Great job. When you proof roll you want to make sure the ground does move under heavy equipment load. For roads we often will run a loaded dump truck over the ground. It’s probably over kill here. I presume you’ll rent a roller and as long the ground remains stable under the drum you are good to go. Something to keep in mind when removing. Borings are just snapshots of where the soil was drilled. It might 18-inches in one spot and 30-inches in the other so you need to use your eyes and hands to feel when you have got to more solid layers. Lastly consider putting a foot or at least 6 inches of crushed gravel under your slab. Definitely suggest avoiding putting concrete directly onto fill. Put the gravel under the foundation walls and slab (over the select fill) then the vapor barrier, then the concrete. Roll it in 4 inch maximum lifts (layers). You could use crushed gravel as all your fill but that would likely be more expensive. When you remove the bad soil, spread it on the lot to help create drainage and also will help with sloping water away from the garage and house if you build it higher. Find where the water enters and leaves the property and that can help guide where to put your fill. Super pumped to see how this turns out.

This is one of your best videos ever - because you DIDN'T skip the details. It isn't as exciting as a teardown or a before/after video, but it contains some pretty important pointers that I've never seen mentioned before. Bravo.

@StudPack

Жыл бұрын

That's one of the most important things to us in this series, we want to touch on things that most people don't. We have so many questions, and we're willing to bet, so do other people! 💪

@GroovyMisfit

Жыл бұрын

Amen!

@Danielg86

Жыл бұрын

@@StudPack I've had these questions for years, I figured it would be too expensive to find out the answers

"We don't know what we're doing" is the best thing you guys have said in a long time. I wish more people would have the undercarriage to say that. I've DIY'ed my way through countless very large projects by knowing my limits and asking for guidance when I knew I was in over my head. I never asked them to do it for me but to just show me where I might be going wrong so I can get the job done right. Yea it takes longer and might cost a bit more but there is no better feeling like completing a project that you weren't even sure you could do when you started! Hats off to you both and I'm pulling for you all the way!

Modern day This Old House! All these cookie cutter DIY shows on HGTV are nothing compared to you guys! The detail you go into is fantastic! Watching you learn as you go really solidifies the process in my mind. Better than any scripted show on regular TV.

Consider digging a rainwater catchment in the back yard to perk and replenish subsoil moisture. This will help drought proof your landscaping and reduce burden on the storm sewer. Capturing rooftop water in an above ground tank is another great strategy. Come next drought you’ll have the only clean truck and green lawn in the neighborhood.

@astikennel

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this I was looking for anyone else to say it before I did!

@mickisix9092

Жыл бұрын

Yes, as a civil engineer with a specialty in stormwater management, my mind was clicking on small rain gardens, and from growing up in south Texas, rain barrels are always great to have. We always had them to keep the plants watered during the dry months.

For anyone who thinks engineers don't know shit about building, you have no clue just how detailed engineers need to be. Just because you have the day to day hammering experience doesn't mean you understand the local geology, soil characteristics, packing densities, and any other scientific knowledge required to truly properly build something. Some of you actually look down on "pencil pushers" but wouldn't make it even past lower division solid mechanics. Ever ask yourself why certain nails are used at certain places? Why the diameter and material requirement? Why nails and not screws? Why screws and not nails? Why nuts and bolts and not screws? Why compression and not tension? Well. Engineers do.

Great video Stud Pack! Tucson based architect here. You have likely uncovered most, if not all, of this info in your research and phone calls, but I offer it for your subscribers that might not be in the construction industry. What your structural engineer has designed is a two-way slab and beam mat foundation. In some places it is called a raft foundation as, in simple terms, it allows the structure to float with the swelling and shrinking of your expansive soils and distribute those forces evenly across the entire foundation. I'm guessing that it is a fairly common solution for engineers in your area, and it may well have a local shorthand name. The beam details (9:34) imply that the concrete will be placed as a monolithic pour. Per the excerpts from the soil report and the beam details, your FFE (finished floor elevation) will be a minimum of 42" above your excavation (12" below the beams plus 30" foundation depth). This would put your FFE at 18" above existing grade if the top of the stable native soil is uniformly 24" deep. That could be a blessing in disguise for achieving proper finish grading and drainage. The top of your compacted fill will be 8" below the FFE to accommodate the 4" slab thickness plus the 4" aggregate base course or ABC (noted as selected fill on the details). The fill will be put down and compacted in lifts, the maximum thickness of which, in my area at least, is usually specified in the soils report. Next comes the ABC. The finished pad is normally somewhat larger than the building footprint, the extent of which may be by local convention, or specified in your documents. After all that, you get to go in and dig a bunch of it out again to create the earthen voids for the beams. Concrete formwork will be required for the portion of the perimeter beams that will be exposed above grade.

A few tips from a new PNW Luxury Home Builder: Cross reference your architectual & engineering plans. They are always two different people, and they miss notes/measurements from each other all the time. If you want to be super safe on the foundation, dig a couple feet deeper and put in some compacted quary spall. Make story Pole with ALL of your elevations. Raw Grade, Final Grade, Finished floor(main floor with subfloor) that way it's easy to talk to the foundation guys about where you want wall heights. WATER IS YOUR ENEMY. Waterproof/Grade everything on the home. Ask me how I know. When you pour the Pier pads under the home, you can pour them in a row instead of individual pads for better earthquake protection. Just a few, and you will learn A LOT. I joined an existing builder, and about to finish up my first house here in April. Good Luck!

@StudPack

Жыл бұрын

Awesome, thanks BigMike 👊

@bigmiker35

Жыл бұрын

@@StudPack anytime. If you guys need help feel free to reach out on twitter.

@RossReedstrom

Жыл бұрын

Extra stability is good, but Houston isn't a place to worry about earthquakes. Hurricanes, sure!

@rogerm9232

Жыл бұрын

@@RossReedstrom Texas gets lots of mini quakes from ‘fracking’ 🙈

@RossReedstrom

Жыл бұрын

@@rogerm9232 in west or central Texas, yes. Down here in southeast Texas, it's all gumbo clay: you'd never feel a micro quake, it'd damp out too fast. Having said that, the same building techniques designed to handle earthquakes leads to a more stable structure, that resists the slower movements of swelling and shrinking clay, too. Not to mention hurricanes! (There are extra techniques just for that, too: hurricane clips to tie down the roof, etc.)

You guys are great on front of the camera and that's probably 75% of having a successful YT channel. Combined with relevant, honest content, sky's the limit. Well done👍👏🙌

Wow, guys, THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO. I am so impressed with your willingness to take on this project, but also that you are so willing to admit how much you are learning on the go, and how many questions you are asking professionals in other fields to learn what you need to know. I'm working on a home renovation right now, not my first renovation, but I'm putting in a dormer across the entire rear of my home on the second story and adding a brand new bathroom and master closet. I'll be doing all the interior finishing myself, from plumbing to drywall, and while I've done all that before in small projects, this will be the first time I've ever done anything close to this scope. I admit I'm really intimidated and I have days where I get completely overwhelmed, and it's intimidating to ask pros for help. (I guess I've got a case of imposter syndrome and am afraid of being condescended to.) This video has totally reassured me that I should be asking way more questions for every part of the process, and I shouldn't be afraid to reach out!! Thank you so, SO MUCH.

Just a heads up-The proofroll sub grade step isn’t compacting the soil but rather rolling a loaded dump truck across the area to find any soft areas or areas that “pump”

@StudPack

Жыл бұрын

Noted, thanks Brian!

@sniperfi4532

Жыл бұрын

Yep. Used in road construction to check the road base is solid and consistent before asphalting. Found a mini sinkhole that way.

@jamesrobertgrimes

Жыл бұрын

I've found that a loaded tri-axle is the best way to compact a small area.

@josuwils

Жыл бұрын

Came here to say this. Run the loaded tandem axle dump truck over it and watch for any major deflection. Especially pumping as noted above.

@sterlingmullett6942

Жыл бұрын

Serious question. How do you run a loaded dump truck inside a two to three foot deep foundation hole for a building that is 60x60? Is there another method with weight that someone would use for "enclosed" confined spaces? Thanks.

A point to bring up is that you are highlighting how immersive being a project manager for a build actually is. None of the other channels show this--thanks! Hopefully "lay" viewers can understand that it is extremely important to gather and implement this information.

In Florida, all the new homes build up the foundation well above the street and they bring in tons of fill to raise the slab. Given Houston's flooding problems you won't regret doing this, despite the additional expense.

I really appreciate the details, the info from the reports, the prices, etc. I know it makes things take so much longer, but I think most prefer that so much more than the bog-standard building video that can be found all over youtube. Also the trio team is part of it!

Just used my first mini ex this summer! Rented from HD. Dug my first foundation and sewer line for a small house we are building for my father-in-law in our backyard. You’re going to LOVE the ex. It’s a rough dig. You’ll have to shape things up with other equipment but nothing beats the power to move that much dirt. Excited for this build. Keep it up GANG! 💪🏻

You never hear builders talk about soil test. Thank you for talking about it

Hey guys, being a resident in Houston as well (SW corner) I am concerned that I have not heard you discuss the 100 and 500 yr flood plain. That is an important elevation for building codes. Your finished floor needs to be a required margin above that elevation for your location. Now since your first build project is the garage (detached?), it doesn’t impact that, but it may for your home and the transition between the two. Also for you surface grading, there are restrictions on how you direct your water runoff. Be careful, trying to deal with it after is difficult when there is already a structure in the way. Do you have any storm runoff options to the rear of your property?

@Da1what

Жыл бұрын

Please read the manual and watch any available videos on safe operation or “shake hand with danger”! I know you’ll do a great job.

@mkch932

Жыл бұрын

Good looking out!

Love it! It’s great to watch a very detailed pro with his apprentice as they approach a new challenge, specifically something they’ve never done before. It will be great to watch as this unfolds and you are able to apply your experience and inexperience at the same time. One thing to note: check to make sure you have water leaving your property under control. In some areas run off has to be allowed and some areas it isn’t allowed. Plus it could make or break you neighbours property if bad grading directs everything onto their property.

I love that you are willing to ask questions and follow the advice of trusted experts. You are going to build an incredible house!

Wow!!!! I had no idea there was so much into building a home. Thank you!!! 😊 also, it's really nice to see father/son working together on projects. Thank you!!!!

Man I know y'all are working hard but these videos cant come fast enough. This is such an awesome project!

Civil engineer here. Great job. When you proof roll you want to make sure the ground does not move under heavy equipment load. For roads we often will run a loaded dump truck over the ground. It’s probably over kill here. I presume you’ll rent a roller and as long the ground remains stable under the drum you are good to go. Something to keep in mind when removing. Borings are just snapshots of where the soil was drilled. It might 18-inches in one spot and 30-inches in the other so you need to use your eyes and hands to feel when you have got to more solid layers. Lastly consider putting a foot or at least 6 inches of crushed gravel under your slab. Definitely suggest avoiding putting concrete directly onto fill. Put the gravel under the foundation walls and slab (over the select fill) then the vapor barrier, then the concrete. Roll it in 4 inch maximum lifts (layers). You could use crushed gravel as all your fill but that would likely be more expensive. When you remove the bad soil, spread it on the lot to help create drainage and also will help with sloping water away from the garage and house if you build it higher. Find where the water enters and leaves the property and that can help guide where to put your fill. Super pumped to see how this turns out.

This is FANTASTIC! Thank you guys for teaching us how to cross reference the soil report with the building plans. This just might make me brave enough to go from doing remodels to doing my first new build

You guys are always doing cool stuff, I love watching it. My “teacher/boss” is an older guy in his 70s and he knows a lot but he still does everything the old school way so I like watching the two of you to learn a more modern approach to builds

Can’t wait! Appreciate you guys taking the time to go through all the details many just glance over.

I'm directly north of you, in Manitoba Canada, and of course we're also dealing with freezing soils, I'd say 9 times out of 10 and maybe even more, we build on basements. But another option for poor top soil conditions, as an alternative to concrete piles (piers) are helical piles. You likely know what they are, but imagine a giant ground screw. We make them up here to unimaginable lengths for super high depths (if needed, houses don't need anything crazy).

That's not an excavator, that's a mini diggie. Forget lunch you got lot's of seat time ahead of you. .

@oldschool6798

Жыл бұрын

You got that right. Should have brought in at least a 200. I can’t watch.

@smarternu

Жыл бұрын

@@oldschool6798 I wonder if he will go from "Childhood dream come true" to "I hope I never see that thing again."

Nice to see how it's done properly. Thanks for the great videos!

i used to haul dirt and stone in Humble, and Tomball and the surrounding Houston area and select fill is orange in color and comes from a number of places in and around Houston

As someone who wants to do something similar in the future, thank you for going over all of the details! These videos are invaluable.

Awesome! Thank you for being so transparent on this process. This will truly be a gold mine of useful info. Thanks.

Really appreciate you guys. Praying you all are safe from the big storm that rolled through Houston. Blessing to you and your family!

Nice!!! I am so pumped to the notification of another video! You guys are going to knock our socks off with this project!

This is gonna be a epic journey guys and I'm so glad to see that you are asking the questions and getting the professionals involved regarding the foundation, cause that is a make it or break it for the new Stud Pack home. great video, thanks for sharing!

You guys just gave me SO many answers to our back yard project. Now I know exactly where to get answers. Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing this Stud Home Build come to life. Let's go Stud Pack!!

All right a new vid, you guys alway make my day when you post a video. Thanks a million and hope that you get a long and bright future with you channel,will keep watching and learning.

This is awesome. I love seeing your guys’ excitement, I love that you guys are a father-son duo, and I love how much detail you give us!

Appreciate you guys going through the details of the site prep!

Great vid. Looking forward to the series. If you can, take the soil from the dig out and use that as backfill and grading around the slab. Less expense on hauling off soil and then bring new in.

Thank you for talking through this project. I will be building a house in a few years and your tips will help me know what to ask.

You guys are great... This video should be so boring but it wasn't! Keep it up, boys!!

Great video! I hope everything goes as smooth as possible.

You guys are by far my favorite KZread channel. I love your guises work ethic, optimism, And attention to detail and you guys have a wonderful attitude ta boot! I’ve learned a lot so far

Gives new meaning to the term "Dirt Poor."

I agree this part of the planning deserves this much attention.

Beware! You might want to ask and confirm with the local Building Dept that they wIll actually approve a "certificate of occupancy" on your live-in "attached" garage before even razing the existing main house. My local build dept. would NEVER certify occupancy before "attached" main residence is completed. "Attached" is the keyword and you should somehow get it in writing and every Build Dept differs.😇

@robertwalter2841

Жыл бұрын

Good Question! I'm afraid that some building depts are not willing to say what they will or won't do. To make "successful" homeowners-builders they (building depts) need to cooperate and facilitate builds that are wonderful (and lasting) additions to the community.

@aBoogivogi

Жыл бұрын

I would not trust anything from any government official unless it was in writing when I had this much money riding on it :p

@stephentucker5406

Жыл бұрын

@@robertwalter2841 that why the plan needs to be submitted as a “ phased” project

Love your videos, and your attitudes!! Keep up the great work. Looking forward to seeing it come together!!

I love that you're taking the time to learn this stuff and share it with us. I am learning from watching this

I've been waiting for this one since Paul's truck got stuck in the swamp/yard several videos ago. Kudos to you for making sure corners are not cut and the new structures will last as long as possible!

Glad to see you’re your creating a good base. I actually remember hearing those terms from watching J David Rogers class on “Engineering Geology and Geotechnics” on KZread. So important to get that right or face major problems later. Get the sewer line from house to the city main inspected too. Very exciting!

Great job guys! You’re going to be experts about this! So glad you’re talking too and working with knowledgeable professionals!

building a brand new house with your son is one of my primary life goals. Very cool to see it documented here and excited for when I get the chance to do the same.

Great details guys! Best thing to do is to ask until you know that you know! Excited for you to get started!!!

My husband and I love watching your KZreads and we're glad you're here in Texas with us. My husband would like to see if you can go to the soil place and show how they test for the PI, plasticity index.

I work at a local lumber yard/hardware store... I have been spending a lot of my free time, even at work watching your video's, and have been straight up digging them because a lot of times people off the street walk in and expect I know how to do.... a lot of what you do. Not gonna Lie, I can sell a 2x4 with the best of them, but when it come's to the technical details of how to do this, I'm lost... you Guy's have taught me a lot in a few week's time, and I can now say that I can now serve my customer's better from what I have learned from you

The more you document the better!! As far as I see you are the only ones this detailed. I want to build my future house!

I'm so looking forward to watching this house grow, you guys are awesome👍.

Foundation and site prep is the biggest thing I wish we had subcontracted out fully in our build, and we had a great geotechnical engineer and a good base material. Such important details.

Exciting to see this process from the beginning. Thank you for the "you don't know what you don't know" part (soil specs, compaction, etc).

Congrats guys! See you in Vegas

You and Penetrator are the tradesmen I always look forward to each week. I'm looking forward to watching both of you grow in the process. Man, understanding the soil is really important. Just make sure there's not buried old creek or drainage that will create big foundation problems.

This is going to be epic! You three are so courageous to take this on yourselves. Very cool!

This is so awesome to follow along with! Thank you so, so much for the videos and keep them rolling!

Great great stuff, Stud Pack. I'm so happy to hear you talk about ALL the engineering and pre job start stuff. Lots of people have no idea how much actually goes into these first steps. Keep your engineers and architect numbers close at hand. It may cost a little more now to do the things the way they tell you. But in the long run, they don't want to steer you wrong because they are vested in you. They don't like law suits anymore than others do.

Thank you so much for answering my questions I posted from last week's video! 💗. Love hearing all the details about the soil report and all the behind the scenes effort that you've had to go through.when you guys learn something, we all learn together. Now that you got the excavator, maybe you show us how to use one too! ...And how not to roll it on it's side like I did to bobcat I had rented a while back lol. Thank goodness for friends with equipment!

Soil compaction was a major pain on my last build, inspection failed due to the soil compaction. I ended up buying a Pocket Penetrometer to test the compaction after tamping/rolling.

You guys make me wish I drive to Texas. This is a great build with your new home. I am so excited to see the progress on the home for Jordan. I have watched all your videos and get ideas on each one. Great job love the build.

Such a cool dad! ☆ Great guys the two of you are!

Man, I just love you guys, you're down to earth and the chemistry is awesome. So happy to see your project exactly as it unfolds. God bless!

Congrats guys, super excited to see this project as it progresses!

So glad I found you guys! Love your videos and your new house project! Best wishes! ❤

You guys are awesome. My buddy and I without concrete experience did a slab last year, with periodic consult/site visit with a concrete pro. In that yard long ago was a swimming pool. We had to dig down 8' and puncture the pool lining, then each 1' of fill an engineer had to test the compaction.

You guys are an amazing team, and are doing definitely doing your homework...it would be sweet to see odelle concrete come out to give you a hand on the concrete foundation ..seems right up his alley. I'd look forward to following this project

Great info. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and new found education on building a foundation

We are learning along with you. Thank you

Love the details, keep it up.

Excellent video fellas! I love all the explanations! I learned so much! Keep up the great work! And you guys make a great team! Stud Pack!

Good Job, great work, love the fact that you included the “Learn Factor” in going forward with this project. This has already proven to be a great educational factor to viewers that have always had the itch to build their own home! Intimidating but with lots of help, can be accomplished!

Enjoy your videos. I am getting close to finishing an add-on that doubled the size of our house. First time I have ever tackled such a project. My prior experience has been unclogging drains, etc. I wish I had found your videos earlier in the process, but I am sure glad I have access to them now. They have been invaluable. I am not planning any dirt excavations, but I appreciate the process. Looking forward to the next one.

Great work as always. You know what you dont know, then you figure out how to know it. This job has 'win' all over it.

Great information, just a thought with your drainage situation. You could use a water reuse tank and direct a portion of the drainage into it. With the you can run your sprinkler system and pressure washers and things of that nature without the cost of using water from the city. Down the line you can always connect a grey water collection in the house and with a little in house treatment tie the grey water into the reuse tank.

You guys are my motivation! You've been my guide throughout my entire process.. I watch your videos while I do my renovations " what would studpack do" is my motto! I've tagged you in my shots series!

I can't thank you enough for this video. This is EXACTLY what I was trying to learn. I am fully aware I still don't know anything but I know where to start and who to talk to.

You guys have quickly became one of my favorite channels on KZread! I am SOOOOOO pumped to see how this whole series plays out and the amazing details that I know you'll be including in the build. I am in the same trades as you guys so as you can imagine, I deal with it every day and even with that being said, I STILL can never get enough of your videos! Looking forward to many more and from the whole gang, thank you for such amazing content!! 👍👍

Great to see the process step by step, really appreciate it. I am so excited to see the first ground breaking at the house... but not as excited as Jordan to actually break the ground himself hahaha!

I love the educational details.

I wonder if you can use some of your excavated material to fill in your low spots, and i feel like a French drain will be a great solution to your wet soil. There's another channel here that covers french drains really well, they are Gate City Foundation Drainage

You guys always do such a great job explaining the details on your projects!

so much incredible information packed in every single one of your videos! I recommend your channel to all my buddies. Just keep it coming!! Great work STUD PACK🤘🏼🤘🏼

I would recommend installing a french drain out to the storm drain you mentioned. I've installed a few around my property and they work great!!! They will keep the ground so much dryer.

thanks for the vid. Get back to work! looking forward to seeing a new project.

I have a lot I plan to build on and have done a lot of research on site prep, but I thought soil testing was like soil in a lab (like you take a cup of it and go to a lab to test). No! This is a whole different ball game! I am so glad I watched this video, I wouldve f'd up so bad. I now know to find a geotechnical engineer and structural engineer for foundation prep. Thank you!!

My dad is a General Contractor out in Nevada. I grew up building with him. You our videos are great. Keep it up!

Love the honestly guys, keep it up. Looking forward to seeing the end product....

Keep up the details please. Learning a lot. Thanks!

I'm really looking forward to this series. Good luck!

So looking forward to this series! Thanks, guys!

You'll love the excavator! I put a driveway in at my house and rented one for the weekend a few months ago. It took me a while to figure out how to operate it smoothly, but once I did it's definitely a lot of fun. Just remember, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. My back paid dearly for the first several hours of me trying to go fast.

This is going to be an awesome video series. Can’t wait to see the finished house in about a year from now. Maybe you should prepare a project plan with milestones and projected dates and then show the progress against the plan and what caused any delays. This to me is going to be fun just watching your build slowly evolve.

Cemeteries can be a good source of fill soil (for the yard). Also use the soil your remove for the foundation for drainage fill.